Operation Sindoor: India shuts down several airports in the north

SEveral airports crosswise northern republic of india feature been unopen for civilians until farther notice in the wake of India’s targetted operations against Pakistan in the wee hours of Wednesday. The affected airports include Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh), Leh, Jammu and Srinagar (J&K), Amritsar (Punjab), Bikaner (Rajasthan), and Hindon in Delhi NCR. Several leading airlines, including IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India and Air India Express, confirmed the closures and informed about it on social media platform X. The suspension of services follows India’s announcement that it carried out precise strikes on nine terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. “Due to the ongoing situation, airports in parts of northern India, including Dharamshala (DHM), Leh (IXL), Jammu (IXJ), Srinagar (SXR), and Amritsar (ATQ), are closed until further notice. Departures, arrivals, and consequential flights may be impacted. Passengers are advised to plan their journey accordingly and check flight status,” SpiceJet said. IndiGo also informed travellers that operations at Bikaner have been affected, stating, “Flights to/from Bikaner are also impacted by the current airspace restrictions. We request you to check your flight status before reaching the airport.” “In view of the prevailing situation, Air India has cancelled all its flights to and from the following stations – Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh and Rajkot – till 12 noon on 7 May, pending further updates from authorities,” Tata-run Air India said. Air India also stated that two international flights en route to Amritsar were being diverted to Delhi. “We regret the inconvenience caused due to this unforeseen disruption,” the airline said. Akasa is yet to issue updates. In an official statement, India clarified the nature of its response to the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, and said, “Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution.” The Pahalgam terror attack left 26 people dead, and several others injured. “These steps come in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were murdered. We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable,” the Indian government said. In an earlier move, India had downgraded diplomatic relations with Pakistan. Islamabad, in response, cancelled existing agreements and barred Indian carriers from its airspace. The situation has also prompted foreign airlines to steer clear of Pakistani airspace. “Qatar Airways has temporarily suspended flights to Pakistan due to Pakistani airspace closure. The airline is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to prioritise the safety of its passengers and crew,” Qatar Airways said on Wednesday.